Mobile and/or wireless electronic devices, such as, e.g., mobile telephones, portable media players, and portable gaming devices, are now in widespread use. In addition, the features associated with certain types of electronic devices have become increasingly diverse. For example, many mobile telephones include cameras that are capable of capturing still images and video images.
Some portable electronic devices, such as mobile telephones, rely on touch screen technology to receive user input. Touch screen technology typically relies on a transparent touch sensitive sensor located above a display. The touch sensitive sensor is able to detect the presence and movement of a user's finger or fingertip against or near the sensor surface. A user may control a specific function of the electronic device by touching a point on the touch screen. The touch point may be designated by displayed content. For example, in order to capture an image, the user may touch an area of the touch screen that overlays a shutter symbol presented on the display.
Some electronic devices with touch screen technology may have a dedicated shutter key that allows the user to easily capture an image by pressing a single, stand-alone button. A dedicated shutter key allows the user to immediately access the camera function of the electronic device, instead of scrolling through menu options to reach the camera feature. However, each dedicated button on an electronic device increases the manufacturing cost of the device. Therefore, it may be desirable to decrease the number of mechanical buttons on an electronic device.